Definition of Infinity
by Azlyna Flynne
Summary: Charle gets an unexpected, yet pleasant that will no doubt change his entire life. But what happens when a case gone wrong threatens to take him away from everything he loves and cares about? PLEASE R
1. Unexpected Surprises

Title: Definition of Infinity

Authoress: Azzy Flynne

Summary: Charlie gets an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise that will no doubt change his entire life. But what happens when a case gone wrong threatens to take him away from everything he loves and cares about?

A/N: This is my first multi-chapter Numb3rs fic, so please be kind. Please R&R and let me know what I can do to improve. I really hope everyone enjoys this story.

**Chapter 1: Unexpected Surprises**

"What?" The word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it and Amita put her hands on her hips as she looked back at him.

"You heard exactly what I said Charlie," Amita told him quietly, lifting one of her hands to rub her face tiredly, "What we need to do is find out what the hell we are going to do about it. I mean, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind when we got together. I thought maybe someday, you know, but... oh hell I don't know."

"There _are _options," Charlie pointed out, as he motioned for her to sit on his couch. He ran a hand through his curly hair and sat in the arm chair across from her.

"I'm not getting an ab-" she began angrily, her eyes narrowed. How could he even think something like that? She knew it was an option for other people with valid reasons, but it wasn't one for her.

"That's not what I meant, Sweetheart...I know that you'd never do that," Charlie interupted her softly, "I just want us to think about this before we make any decision. The one we make will affect the rest of our lives." He moved from the armchair and sat next to her, wrapping her up in a soft hug, and smiled, "My Dad will be thrilled to say the least."

"Do you want to keep it?" She asked, returning the hug, "Because I'm pretty sure I do. It'll be a little bit of you and a little bit of me, all rolled up into one." She thought a little bit into their future if they decided to keep the life now growing inside of her. She pictured a two year old angel looking to be picked up by Mommy, with Charlie's wild curls, but definetly her nose.

"I have to admit, I'm a little scared at the prospect of me being a father," Charlie blushed a little and looked away from his girlfriend. Half the time he couldn't even take care of himself, how was he going to care for a child? "What if I'm a horrible parent?"

"Charlie, Charlie, Charlie," she tisked quietly, smiling at his fear, "I know you, you'll be an excellent father. But I mean, what about living arrangements? You have a house, so it'd be better if he or she lived here, but I'd want to be near my child, you know?"

"So it's for sure, we're keeping it?" He asked first and her smile told him the answer before she even spoke.

"If you don't want to, I will," she told him, a maternal spark in her eyes, "It'll be hard as a single parent, but I'll do it."

"I didn't say I didn't want to Amita," he soothed quietly, letting her lean on him, "I think I'd like being a father and I don't think my Dad would be opposed to you coming to live with us, you know if you want to."

"So you want to keep it?" She looked at him seriously and he hesitated before nodding.

"Like I said, the very thought scares me," he told her, breathing in the scent of her hair, "but I'm pretty sure it's thrilling me at the same time. Mixed feelings I guess, I just never thought this would happen. But what about us?"

"What about us?" She looked at him, uncertainty hiding underneath her eyes as she gazed into him, "I think this would serve to bring us closer together, don't you think?"

"I mean, how would it affect the baby if we were to... er break up?" He looked down for a moment and then back up at her as he waited for her reply.

"Do you really think we'll break up someday?" Her eyes turned desperately sad and she pulled away from his embrace, "Do you think it's some inevitable thing that will happen..."

"I don't want us to ever break up, but if there's something I've learned over the years...it does happen," Charlie sighed and the door to his house swung open before either one could speak further.

"Hey Chuck," Don greeted, then he saw Amita and smiled, "Hope I didn't interupt anything." He gave his brother a thumbs up, causing Amita to blush deeply, "Hey there Amita, what's happening?"

"Don't call me Chuck, Don," Charlie rolled his eyes at his brother, "Amita and I were having a discussion if you must know. And yes you interupted something."

"Sorry _Chuck_," Don just grinned at him, before it dropped from his face, remembering why he had come in the first place, "You wanna help me with something? I have a case and well, it's not going too well. The perp is taunting us with emails and we can't trace him. Everytime we find out where's he's been, he's gone somewhere else. Seems he's always a step ahead of us."

Charlie looked at Amita before answering so she whispered in his ear, "If we both try hard enough, we'll make it work. Now go save the day and then we can finish our conversation."

He smiled at her reassurance, "I'll see you later, okay Honey? My brother seems to desperately need my assistance."

"Take care Charlie, and ummm... don't tell the whole world... Your family is okay, Larry too," she smiled at him a little and almost laughed at the look Don had on his face. "I'll just drive home now okay?"

"Be careful Amita," he pulled her into a hug and kissed her, "I love you."

"Love you too," she looked as if she were about to cry. He actually told her he loved her, she had been waiting for those three words a long damn time. "See you later." She opened the door and left, leaving Don staring behind her.

"Alright Charlie," Don gave him a confused look, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Actually in about eight and a half months, my name is going to be Daddy," Charlie spilled his secret, a huge smile bursting onto his face, "Damnit I love that woman."

"Congrats Buddy!" Don draped an arm around his shoulder, "But about my case..."

"Yeah yeah," Charlie muttered good naturedly, "the case... Well what kind of crime is it anyway?"

"The best kind, a mix of financial data theft, bank robberies and neighbourhood stick ups," Don told him as he led him outside after he let his little brother grab his laptop. "It's like they can't make up their damn minds. The only thing linking them together is the robbers' signature and the fact it's all centered around money."

"What's the M.O.?" Charlie looked at Don and his brother just sighed.

"Those damn emails," his elder brother told them, "Always taking credit for what they did and taunting us. Basically asking us why we're too stupid to find them."

"Well I'm pretty sure I'm far from stupid," Charlie chuckled a little bit, "And I know you are as well. We'll get those idiots." He climbed into the passenger's seat of his brother's SUV, "Give me some data and I'll try to work something out for you."

"Math Magic is just what we need right now," Don smiled at him little brother, before asking, "So what's going to happen with you, Amita and the baby?"

"We decided to keep it," Charlie gave his brother a little smile, and let out a deep breath, "I'm scared I won't be a good father, but there's only one way to find out. Amita will probably end up coming to live with me and Dad... and well yeah. I feel like throwing up and jumping for joy... all at the same time. I love Amita, and I love the little life she's carrying, I'm just...scared."

"I can understand that," Don bit his lip and looked at his brother, "I've been in a similar situation...except my girlfriend at the time went and had an abortion shortly after telling me. My God, Charlie, I'll tell you now, that broke my heart."

"You never told me that Donnie," Charlie mentioned softly and Don just shrugged. He really wished he knew what his older brother was thinking, what was going on in his mind."

"It was when I was in Quantico, training for the FBI," Don told him quietly, "We weren't really talking at the time. I guess now just seemed as good a time as any to tell you."

"I'm glad you did Donnie," Charlie put a hand on his brother's shoulder for a fleeting moment, "Who knows, you might get another chance at it."

Don just looked at his little brother for a moment as he started the vehicle, "Maybe, but I don't think I'll ever forgive Penny for doing that to me..."

Charlie gave him a small comforting smile and sighed, unaware that someone had been watching the two of them the whole time.

* * *

"What do ya say we send Eppsie a new email?" One man asked his partner, grinning slyly, "We haven't done anything new? Let's see if he can stop us before we do. Give him a little hint so to speak?"

"As long as you make sure he'll never find out in time... I'm not against it," his partner said quietly and pointed towards the computer, "What do you have in mind?"

"He's got a family..." the first man smiled as he said the words, "A father and a brother...according to my sources, the brother's going to be a father soon." He sat down at the computer and began to type out the email.

_Dear Lead Agent Eppes,_

_What in life is more important than money? If you can figure that out, you will know our next move... just ask XXVIIIVVIIXXVIIIVXVIIIXXXVIIV._

He clicked send and smiled at his partner, "Lets see him figure that one out in time."

"What was it anyways?" He asked quietly, looking at the mess of a message. He didn't know where his buddy got it or what the hell it meant.

"You'll see in time, as will Special Agent Eppes," he grinned at his handiwork and chuckled to himself. Now we have somewhere to be. I'll just call my contact for information and everything shall work out perfectly. Agent Eppes won't know what hit him."

"I'm not sure I even know what's going on," his partner scratched his head lightly in confusion, "But you've always been the brains of this operation, I trust you explicitly."

"I know," he grinned, thinking about his plan, "Don't you worry, I have everything figured out."

"You always do," his partner gave him a smile, trusting his friend not to steer him wrong.

* * *

"Charlie," Don told his brother quietly as he got up from the computer, rolling his head to stretch the tired muscles, "We got another email, this one hinting towards their next move. Think you can figure out their code?"

"Dumb question Don," Megan smiled and gave him a little nudge as Charlie got right to work, tap tapping away as he thought at the same time.

"It's a code composed entirely of Roman Numerals," Charlie spoke as if neither of them had said a word, "I'll write up an algorithm to predict the right groupings to find out the numbers they stand for. Then it should automatically come up with the deciphered message for you."

"How long will this algorithm take you Charlie?" Don asked his little brother urgently and his brother grinned, not even looking up from the computer.

"Not long. This code is actually fairly simple, you should have your answer in maybe a half hour," he told him as his mind wandered to Amita, "After I set it up, I'm going to go check on Amita. The algorithm will run itself and the computer will beep when it's ready."

"Alright Charlie," Don clapped a hand on his little brother's shoulder, "Glad to know I can always count on you Buddy."

He gave his brother a smile, "Thanks Don." A few minutes later he stood up, "I'll go see Amita now, you call me if anything comes up. For example if they send you another email. I'll just call a cab, see ya bro."

"Bye Charlie," Don grinned at his brother and as he did, something within his gut told him to drive Charlie to Amita's, but he shoved it away, figuring it was just his cynical mind playing tricks on him, "Be careful."

"You bet," Charlie waved as he ran out of the room, carrying his laptop with him. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. Something told him to get out, to ask Don for a ride, but he pushed it away... it was nothing. He stepped out of the building not long after and hailed a cab.

The taxi driver rolled down his window, "Get in and tell ma where ya need to go."

"574 West 13th street," Charlie said casually and leaned back in his seat, "I'm just glad I didn't need to wait long for the cab ride."

"That's cause I was expecting you," the driver smiled at him through the rearview mirror and it was then Charlie realized they were heading in the opposite direction of Amita's apartment.

"You're going the wrong way," Charlie commented quietly as he reached for his phone. He knew he should have listened to his gut and now he was in trouble for ignoring it.

"I know," the taxi driver chuckled a little bit, "Give me your phone, I don't want to have to hurt you... but I won't hesitate to. I have strict instructions my friend and I have to follow them."

Charlie tossed his cell phone into the front seat and swallowed the lump in his throat, "What is this about?" He reached for the handle of the door but realized it had been broken off.

"All in due time," the driver said quietly as he made a sharp left turn, "All in due time."

A/N: Please hit the button and drop me a review. It would be so darn appreciated. I hope to have another chapter for you soon.

--Azzy--


	2. Schemes and Codes

A/N: Well here's chapter two of "Definition of Infinity" I hope you like it, R&R please.

**Chapter 2: Schemes and Codes**

"Don..." Colby trailed off as he looked at his boss, who was staring blankly at the computer screen, "Don!"

Don looked up, and his agent could see the fear for his younger brother in his eyes, on the computer screen Charlie's algorithm had solved the code and the completed email read:

_Dear Lead Agent Eppes,_

_What in life is more important than money? If you can figure that out, you will know our next move... just ask the father to be._

"I'm calling him," Don announced, grabbing his cellphone and dialling the number he had committed to memory. "Damnit Charlie pick up..." he muttered as the phone rang, but all he got was voice mail, "Listen Buddy, it's Don. You might be in danger, call me ASAP!"

"Nothing?" David asked gently, worry for his young friend was mounting and he sincerely felt bad for his boss. And now he knew something he hadn't before, Charlie was going to be a father and that just raised the stakes even farther.

Don looked up at him, "Nothing, but I'm going to try Amita's just in case," he dialled another number and waited for a moment.

"Hello?" Amita's soft voice came through the phone and it sounded like she just had a run to the bathroom.

"Amita? It's Don, ummmm... is Charlie there? I think he may have turned off his cell phone, but he said he was headed over to see you," Don told her quietly and hoped she didn't react badly, but she was pregnant and her hormones wouldn't exactly be helpful.

"No... he's not," Amita replied slowly before questioning her boyfriend's brother, "Don is something wrong? Charlie's alright, right? Don?"

"Yeah, Amita, I just need to talk to him, that's all," Don lied quietly, trying to reassure her, "Tell him to call me if he gets there, okay?"

"If? Don, what the hell is going on?!" She demanded, and it sounded as if she were near tears, "Why wouldn't Charlie get here? I demand to know what's going on!"

"Don," Megan interupted softly, "you have a new email."

"Listen Amita, don't worry," Don soothed her as best he could, thinking all the while that she probably should be worrying, "I have to go, alright? Bye Amita..."

"Don! Don't hang up on-" she began, but it was too late, Don had already flipped the phone closed.

Don Eppes looked at Megan seriously, "What the hell does it say?"

"I have no idea," she shook her head sadly, "More code, but the word groupings seem to be split up this time, so Charlie's algorithm should work faster... I hope."

Don looked at the email:

_Dear Lead Agent Eppes_

_IX VIIIIXXIIV XIXXVXIIIVXXVIIIIXXIVVII XXIIVXVIIIXXIV IXXIIIXVIXVXVIIIXXIXIVXX XXXV XXIIXVXXI. VIIIIXXIX XIVIXVIIIV IXXIX IIIVIIIIXVIIIXIIVXIX VXVIXVIVXIX. XXIIXVXXI XXIIIVXVIIIV XXXVXV XXIIIXXV XXXV XIXIXXIV VIIIIXXIII VIXVIIIXVXIII XXIXIX. _

_Your Friends_

"Run it," Don told her quietly, shoving his face in his hands. If something had happened to Charlie... his little brother, those robbers would have some serious hell to pay, that was for sure. He didn't know what kind of game they were playing, but they just made the wrong move.

* * *

The cab driver opened the back door of the car and grabbed his charge tightly by the wrist, pulling him out with one firm jerk. His other hand came around and showed the young man the gun held inside of it, "Nothing funny now, or I'll be forced to use this. You got me?"

Charlie just stared at the weapon for a moment, then nodded quietly. Whoever had brought him here, proceded to pull him into discrepit house, not giving Charlie a proper chance to look around the neighborhood. "What the hell is this?" He looked at the 'cab driver' who was probably not even a cab driver as he tried to free himself from his grasp.

"Shut up," the man snapped angrily and shoved him through a door that led immediately to a stairwell, "Into the basement...now!" He prodded Charlie in the back with the hand gun and followed him down the stairs. With each step, Charlie could feel the fear churn deeply within his stomach. For all he knew, he was going to die down there.

The basement of the house was bare, as if no one had lived there for years. There was only a computer desk off to one corner and another man was sitting in it, smiling, "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" He asked as the cab driver finally stopped pointing the gun in his direction, but the man was still holding it at his side.

"Put him over there," the man on the computer ignored Charlie's question and pointed to a series of water pipes running along one of the walls. The cab driver grabbed his wrist again and the gun resumed its positon, aimed at his skull. Charlie resisted as best he could against the stronger man, but just ended up being half dragged over to the pipes. "Use the handcuffs and make sure those hands of his are behind his back too."

"You got it Partner," the cab driver told him and clicked one end of a set of handcuffs around Charlie's right wrist, before threading it through the piping and wrenching his left hand behind him to finish the job.

"Will somebody talk to me and tell me what the hell is going on?" Charlie asked again, his voice getting more demanding as time went on. He was getting sick and tired of being ignored, besides maybe if he knew what was going on, he could somehow figure out how to escape.

"Shut him up will you?" The computer man sighed a little bit and Charlie saw the cab driver bring a long rolled up cloth in front of his face.

"Stop it, I just wan-mphfff!" Charlie was cut off when the gag was tied around his mouth, now muffling his speech and the man on the computer smiled at him, giving him a serious case of the creeps.

"You think his brother got the email?" The cab driver questioned with a satisfied grin, "Or you think he's sitting on his ass, unaware of the situation his brother is in?"

"My source says he's got the email, but it's not decoded as of yet, Grahm, " the man told his partner with a smile, "He's a bit worried at the moment, but he'll be much more so once it's decoded." He looked at Charlie and smiled again, "And he has every reason to be."

"Remind me again why we took the brother in the first place," Grahm gave his partner a questioning look, before turning his gaze back to the math professor. "I thought we were just getting rich?"

"This particular brother has several uses," he commented, as he typed on the keyboard, probably in the midst of stealing some financial data, "His mathematical expertise can help us get more money quicker, not to mention we'll have the FBI in the palms of our hands. Dr. Eppes is quite popular amoung the agents I hear."

Charlie wanted to snap that he would never help them with any of their schemes, but he had to settle with giving them his best evil glare. Grahm glanced at him for a second and laughed, "Hey Jack, check it out. Little Brother's giving us the evil eye."

Jack turned his gaze over the mathematician and taunted, "How cute... He's trying to be all defiant."

Charlie stopped glaring, realizing it was a waste of time and energy, just closing his eyes and hoping his brother would figure it out soon. The two men hadn't hurt him yet, but when he refused to help them, who knows what methods they would employ to try and force him. He let his mind wander, hoping to let the numbers take him away, but all he could think about was Amita and the baby. All he could think about was how they'd cope without him.

* * *

"Don," Megan put a comforting hand on her boss's shoulder, "You're probably not going to like this..." she trailed off for a moment and looked him in the eye, "I found out what the code says... and well it's not good."

"What _does_ it say Megan?" Don asked looking up at her and his agent just sighed sadly.

"Come see for yourself," she motioned for him to go over to the computer and look at the screen. Before he did, he took a close look at each of his agents and did not like what he saw. Megan looked like she was about fall over from weariness and her hair had come messily lose from her ponytail, something that didn't happen very often unless she was too worried about something to care. David's usually crisp suit was slightly crinkled and the younger man constantly massaged his temples as if he had a migraine, but Don knew better, David was trying to release some of the tension and stress from his body. Colby just looked tired, and since he knew the agent had only been up since eight and had seemed refreshed only a few hours ago...that was bad.

Don rubbed his own temples for a moment and looked at the computer screen to see the decoded message:

_Dear Lead Agent Eppes_

_I have something very important to you. His name is Charles Eppes. You were too late to save him from us._

_Your Friends_

"Dammit!" He began to curse to himself angrily, "How am I supposed to tell my father?" He paused remembering the news his younger brother gave him that day, "How the hell am I supposed to tell Amita, dammit? She's pregnant... with his child!"

"Don! Calm yourself," Megan admonished carefully, "This is _not_ helping and it won't bring Charlie back, you know that. We need to think this through and find out what their next move is!"

"She's right Don," Colby agreed and was rewarded with a death glare from his boss, "Well she is..."

"Whatever," Don sighed and closed his eyes tightly, hoping vainly that when he opened them, Charlie would be standing in front of him... no such luck. "I'll call my dad and tell him. He should probably be told about Amita too," he picked up his cell phone and dialled the familiar number.

"Donnie? Is that you m'boy?" His father asked, having obviously checked his Caller ID before picking up.

"Yeah Dad, it's me," Don muttered wearily, "Uh...I've got some bad news and some good news too I guess. Which you want to hear first?"

"Hit me with the bad news first son," Alan's voice seemed to age ten years in mere moments.

"The perps in my most recent case...Dad they're playing some kind of game with me," Don paused for a moment before diving in, "They took Charlie. Dad, I'm sorry."

"How the hell does a ma-" Alan broke off the angry rant he was starting and sighed, "Don't be sorry Donnie. I know it's not your fault, I'm just worried about him," his voice broke as he said the words. Letting out another long breath he asked, "And the good news?"

"Well..." Don felt the need to hesitate for a second.

"What is it Donnie?" Alan questioned, hoping the answer was they were already close to finding his youngest son. He certaintly wasn't prepared for the answer he got.

"Kay Dad, this would sound so much better if Charlie weren't missing," Don began, his voice begging to be understood as he crashed through the sentence, "But Amita's pregnant...it's his."

"Oh my," Alan whispered in a barely audible voice, shell shocked, "Oh my God..."

"Dad..." Don said softly, but his father cut him off.

"Where is the poor woman now?" Alan asked his son sternly, "She's not alone is she?"

"She doesn't exactly know the full extent of what's going on Dad," he explained as best he could, "I was going to call her immediately after you."

"Don't Donnie," his father ordered softly, "This is something she should hear in person," at that pointed statement Don knew his father was discretely telling him off, "I'll go see her and bring her to my...Charlie's house. You find your brother, alright?"

"Okay Dad," Don agreed softly, secretly relieved he wouldn't be the one to tell Amita what had happened, "bye."

"Bye Donnie," Alan told him with another quiet sigh, "I love you son."

"I love you too Dad," Don said truthfully, but wearily as he hung up the phone. He turned to look at his agents, "Let's get to work guys. Before these robbers give me more reason to want to kill them.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed chapter two! Please review!

--Azzy--


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